Careering after College: Establishing the Validity of Abilities Learned in College for Later Careering and Professional Performance. Final Report: Overview and Summary.

Mentkowski, Marcia; Doherty, Austin

A series of studies that investigated the validity of abilities learned in college for later career and professional work are summarized. After describing the rationale for validating outcome-centered higher education curricula, the following types of measures for program evaluation and outcome validation are discussed: performance measures of general abilities, cognitive-developmental measures based on developmental theory, learning style measures based on experiential learning theory, and students' views on the outcomes of college. Attention is also directed to the framework of research at Alverno College, including: the types of student abilities, outcome definitions, performance evaluation, student and alumnae outcomes, and validity assumptions. The research methodology is described with attention to the sample, the validation model, longitudinal and cross-sectional approaches, the input of students and faculty/professionals, and the research instruments. Additional attention is focused on outcomes of the college experience and the relationship of outcomes to the world of work. Major study findings are summarized, and dissemination of the results is discussed. Abstracts of the 10 research reports in this series are appended. (SW)